27 Dresses
Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Edward Burns, Malin Akerman, Judy Greer
Directed by: Anne Fletcher
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Comedy
2008
Times Seen:
Tim: 2
Summary: Jane (Katherine Heigl) loves weddings so much that she has been a bridesmaid 27 times. She dreams of her own wedding, although the man of her dreams, her boss (Edward Burns) doesn't show her the affection she so desires. When her sister (Malin Akerman) comes into town, she and Jane's boss quickly hit it off. After they decide to get married, they ask Jane to be a bridesmaid. As she begins to fall apart, Jane meets a cynical matrimony reporter (James Marsden) who hates weddings with as much passion as she loves them.
Review:
Tim: I liked this movie far more than I expected I would. It is a romantic comedy that manages to break out of the typical rom-com mode, giving us something a bit unique and refreshingly different. The movie has some strong romance, excellent performances by the cast, and some truly funny moments. Yes, this is a lightweight movie, but it is also enjoyable, funny, and entertaining.
The movie really works because of the cast. Katherine Heigl does a good job in the role as she further defines herself as a rom-com queen. She manages to be sweet and caring, yet strong and passionate. She has good chemistry with the cast, and holds her own during the comedic moments. I thought she was quite good. I also really liked James Marsden. I am a fan of his work (namely as Cyclops in the X-Men movies), and I really enjoyed him here. He plays the romantic comedy male role quite well, managing to be sensitive, but never whimpy. His performance could be used as a model for other actors to follow when they star in a female-oriented romantic comedy. Heigl and Marsden have surprisingly good chemistry and I really liked all their scenes together.
The supporting cast is good as well. I love Edward Burns and I really believe any movie is better with him in it. He provides good supporting work here. He has such a calm, easy going manner about him, which makes him fun to watch on screen. Malin Akerman is good as well. I am still unsure of how I feel about her as an actress, but she didn't do anything to make me dislike her here.
This movie works because it has some truly memorable scenes. That is not always the case in romantic comedies. One of the highlights has to be when Heigl tries on all 27 dresses for Marsden. Their exchanges are terrific ("I'm Jesus.") and they are so much fun to watch. I also really liked the scenes with Heigl and Marsden in the car (the line about his Spidey sense is hilarious) and I have to mention the Benny and the Jets scene, which is far better than I'd like to admit.
This movie does suffer from some of the typical romantic comedy cliches, but luckily, these are kept to a minimum. Even when the film shows us things we've already seen dozens of times before, it just feels fresh and new anyway. That is an achievement. Still, there are the typical cliches and events that you'd expect, and there aren't really any surprises in the movie at all.
Despite a few flaws, 27 Dresses is still a very good movie. It is entertaining, occasionally incredibly funny, and has some great romantic moments. In a genre that too often feels past-its-prime, it is so good to see some strong, exciting films that breathe new life into the genre. I really did enjoy this movie.
Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5
If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: 100 Girls, X-Men trilogy, She's the One, The Brothers McMullen, My Father the Hero, Knocked Up